ATM issues

I have read in a few threads on this forum where people have had issues with ATM machines in Paris. Does anyone else have had similiar situation? I would prefer not carrying loads of cash on me. Of course, the alternative is carrying American Express Checks. I am used to going to ATM whenever I needed small cash on me.

Do a lot of places accept only cash such as restaurants, museums, or monuments?

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Nearly every business takes credit cards, but generally not American Express. There is a currency exchange fee levied by most issuers, but Capital One and a few others do not charge the fee. You shouldn%26#39;t have a problem with your ATM card, as long as you have a four-digit PIN, but depending on the bank where the ATM is located, the daily withdrawal limits can be on the small side (200 euros, or so). Some go as high as 600 euros. French ATMs will only withdraw from a %26quot;current account%26quot;, meaning that you must have the money in your checking account--it will not work to withdraw money from your savings account the way you can here. Your bank may also charge a fee for withdrawals. A lot of people get panicky about these fees, but you%26#39;re going to Paris--how much of a hardship can an additional $30 in bank fees be??

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There are occasional %26#39;..issues..%26#39; with ATM%26#39;s anywhere....but for the vast overwhelming majority of users, their US ATM cards work as well and as conveniently in Paris as they do in the US. The difference is that in Paris, you will probably be paying a higher useage fee for foreign currency, cash witrhdrawals (you need to check with your local bank and credit card company(s) to find out the specifics of their applicable fees and charges for foreign transactions). So you may wany to alter your normal useage pattern a bit to allow for this fee by making slightly larger cash withdrawals than is your usual practice. Othewrwise, major credit cards and ATM/Debit cards work pretty much the same and will be accepted at Metro ticket windows , shops and restaurants without difficulty. The one place that I would be reluctant to use them would be in vending machines. European banks and credit card companies have been adoptiing the embedded %26#39;..smart chip..%26#39; technology in their cards and many vending machines (particularly those in Metro stations) will only accept this type of card. In most cases, when a non-%26#39;smart chip%26#39; card is inserted, the machine merely rejects and ejects the card but....if one of these machines is having a ;..bad day..%26#39; it may just decide to %26#39;..eat..%26#39; your card...and that%26#39;s not a good thing. Otherwise, use your cards as you usually would.

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It used to be that the ATM%26#39;s in CDG were brutal - long lines, frequent breakdowns, or the machines were just unavailable. That has changed over my past two visits. The ATM%26#39;s in the city are plentiful and seem to work fine - if you have money in your checking account, not your savings account.

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Oh great, thanks for the info. I%26#39;ve been to many other European cities and never had an issue using my ATM card.